


Paris Geller: A Year in the Life

by BrandonJT



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/F, So basically, i love these two, set after the revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-01-12 15:17:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18449228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrandonJT/pseuds/BrandonJT
Summary: Paris Geller finally has her life on track. Her divorce has been finalized, her career is thriving, and she has two wonderful kids. Nothing could throw her off now - except for Rory Gilmore showing up at her door, pregnant and in desperate need of support.  As her best friend crashes with her for an extended amount of time, Paris reflects on their friendship and tries to manage her busy life as best she can. Nothing's ever come easy for Paris, and figuring out her complicated feelings is no exception.





	1. Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a pregnant Rory shows up at her door looking to crash, Paris finds her life thrown out of whack and tries to pin down what her future will look like.

"I'm sure we're going to be friends for a very long time."

* * *

Who in God's name could be knocking on her door at this hour?  
  
It was a rare moment of peace in Paris Geller's ridiculously busy life. No work, Doyle was too busy with his latest script to agitate her, and she had just put the kids to bed. After climbing down their obscenely long staircase, she grabbed a book and poured herself a glass of wine. Now, she could listen to the rain fall, drink an embarrassing amount of alcohol, and crash while reading 'The Time Traveler's Wife'. Yes, she found nearly all romance novels to be trite drivel, but Rory recommended it to her. Rory Gilmore had appalling taste in many things, food and men chief among them, but her opinions on entertainment were usually sound. Just as she sat down, three knocks interrupted her peaceful evening. She shot straight up and stomped over to the door. Whoever dared to impede this bit of quiet was going to get read the riot act.  
  
That was until she opened the door to see Rory standing there.  
  
"Hey...can I come in?" the brunette asked sheepishly, her long hair soaked from the downpour outside. One hand nervously tapped on her leg, while the other tightly gripped the handle of her suitcase.  
  
"Of course." Paris responded with a concerned frown. The idea of anyone else coming over uninvited gave her hives, but Rory was different. She didn't know why, she just was. She had been for a very long time.  
  
"I'm sorry for coming here like this, I...I wasn't thinking straight." Rory told her. Paris knew she had to stop her best friend before she got caught up in apologizing. Teenage Paris found quirks like that annoying, but she had become, to an extent, fond of the other woman's eccentricities. She supposed she was going soft.  
  
"It's fine. You know you're always welcome here." the blonde assured her. It scared her how easy it was to say that. Paris was many things, but she was not sentimental. She usually struggled to express anything but hatred and disgust to everyone except her kids.  
  
"Thank you." she sighed. The other woman got the sense that Rory really needed some support right now. God knows why she went to her for that. "Are the kids asleep?" the author questioned.  
  
"Just put them to bed." Paris answered, motioning for her to take a seat. "What's going on, Rory?" she inquired bluntly. There we go, that felt more like the version of herself she was comfortable with.  
  
"I...I need a place to crash. Just for a little bit." Rory replied as she awkwardly settled onto the couch. That wasn't unusual. The other woman was her best friend and an excellent babysitter (free, too), so she had stayed over in the past. Still, this was different. She arrived at the house unannounced at night in the pouring rain, looking like she had just seen a ghost. The brunette was always a strange woman, but this was odd, even for her.  
  
"Okay. Are you gonna tell me what's going on now?" she asked. Christ, they had known each other for half their lives and it was still impossible to pull anything out of Gilmore.  
  
"I'm pregnant."

* * *

Well, Rory's behavior made sense now.

Paris had had a much worse reaction both times she learned she was pregnant, and she was financially stable, had already firmly established herself in her field, and was with the children's father, a fact which seemed unfortunate in hindsight. The blonde felt a responsibility to be her best friend's rock during this trying time...and ended up interrogating her. She couldn't help it, she was curious! Rory told her the father (Huntzberger, who had his own life that she didn't want to intrude on), said she had made a decision (she was keeping the baby), and explained why she showed up out of nowhere (she desperately needed some support after the realization set in that she really was pregnant).  
  
After she ran out of questions, the two sat in a somewhat uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity. Paris broke it by quietly offering Rory a hug, which she eagerly accepted, and amidst all the chaos, they shared a moment of calm. She told her friend that she could stay as long as she liked, ending their conversation on a positive note. The blonde tried to resume her evening, but couldn't help but agonize over how the brunette's pregnancy would affect both of their lives. She knew, of course, that it was wildly selfish to think of herself at a time like this, and that it definitely wasn't what Rory needed right now. It was silly of Paris to act like it would change that much of her life anyways. She was just Rory's friend. So she opened up her book and drank her intrusive thoughts away, falling asleep on the couch soon after.  
  
Her brief period of serenity was broken by sunlight shining on her face and the voice of her son echoing through the house.  
  
"Mommy, Rory is here!" Timóteo beamed. The doctor cracked open her eyes to see a smile sprawled across his adorable little round face. Usually being woken up loudly elicited blatant hostility from Paris, but it was remarkably difficult for her to be angry at her kids. In fact, even though the light burned her eyes and her son damaged her eardrums, she felt...happy. The three most important people in her life were with her. The fact that it was only temporary set in before she could get too comfortable.  
  
"Mmm...I know..." Paris mumbled, her eyes drifting shut once more. They then shot wide open at the scent of coffee. In front of her was a chipper looking Rory, holding two piping hot cups, and her equally ecstatic daughter Gabriela.  
  
"Coffee?" her best friend asked, holding a cup out to her. The blonde grunted and accepted it, letting out a soft sigh when the drink filled her body with warmth and caffeine.  
  
"Why are you so happy, Gilmore?" she inquired, her kids snuggling into her sides. She set her drink on the coffee table and wrapped her arms around them while as a small, hard to decipher smile came onto her friend's face.  
  
"Because I can do this." the brunette answered, a surprising level of confidence in her voice. "I woke up early and took the kids out for breakfast. I also got us coffee." Rory added, explaining the syrup stains on Gabriela's cheeks.  
  
"You never wake up early." the other woman remarked in disbelief. Was the world coming to an end?  
  
"The old Rory never woke up early. This is the new Rory." the author declared. That sounded utterly ridiculous to Paris, but even she had enough emotional intelligence to know that voicing that thought would be rude and unsupportive.  
  
"Alright, new Rory." she said with an amused look. "Kids, can you go play? I need to talk to Rory." Paris gently asked them. They nodded and she pressed a kiss to both of their cheeks before they hopped up and rushed off.  
  
"How are you really?" the blonde questioned, narrowing her eyes and taking a sip from her cup.  
  
"I'm good. Really." her friend promised before flopping onto the couch next to her.  
  
"Anything you need, I'm here for you. I've got advice, I know the best doctors, and you can stay here for as long as you like. That kid is going to go to the best preschool in the country. The principal owes me a favor." the doctor rambled on, as if she needed to prove herself. The brunette put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.  
  
"Paris. I'm fine. I'm pregnant, not dying." Rory told her. The blonde scrunched her face up.  
  
"I don't know why you have such an aversion to being prepared, Gilmore." Paris pouted.  
  
"If I need anything, I promise I'll go to you first. I came here, didn't I?" she replied. The other woman just nodded as they shared a smile. The conversation soon spun off into a discussion about the house and those miserable stairs they had to climb, but Paris couldn't stop thinking about what she said.  
  
Sure, this wouldn't last forever, but it was nice in the moment.

* * *

It turned out their living arrangement was less temporary than she thought.  
  
Despite Rory's insistence that she would be gone as soon as possible, she stuck around. The guest room went from being plain and hollow, a reminder of another failed relationship in Paris' life, to a place her best friend could call home. Yale memorabilia adorned the walls, a miniature library she had curated fit into a shelf, and photographs lined her bedside table. The brunette seemed to be ashamed that she was staying so long, but although she'd never admit it, it made the blonde feel good. They had been close for over a decade, but Paris still doubted their friendship from time to time, questioned if Rory was just taking pity on her. It was harder to feel that way when Rory had become this ingrained in her life, her kids' lives.  
  
The author would stay with her mother from time to time, make a few visits to some old friends, but she always came back to Paris. Err, she always came back to the house. The first time she had been away for more than a weekend was to spend Thanksgiving with her family. Doyle got Timóteo and Gabriela for the week, and while Paris wasn't happy about that, she was looking forward to having the kids on Hanukkah. Besides, it wasn't like Thanksgiving was that big of a deal. People could have their colonialist fairy tale, Paris was perfectly content to spend the evening alone.  
  
Then Rory called.  
  
"Rory? Are you okay?" the blonde inquired, a million nightmare scenarios running through her head. No, she didn't worry too much.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, I just..." her friend sighed. From the tone of her voice, she was anything but.  
  
"Emily giving you a hard time?" Paris asked. She had a lot of respect for Rory's grandmother, but knew that she had a tendency to be judgemental. Yes, Paris was aware that she shared that flaw.  
  
"That's the thing! She was so understanding about it. I told her that I was going to raise the baby on my own and she completely supported my decision. What's wrong with her?!" she frantically wondered out loud.  
  
"It sounds to me like she's trying to be nice. How dare she." the businesswoman answered dryly.  
  
"Not helpful." Rory pouted.  
  
"Sorry. Go on." the blonde replied.  
  
"Everyone's being supportive! My mom and Luke and my dad and everyone I know! But I can't do it! My life is a mess. I don't have a sustainable income, I don't have a permanent residence, and I have to mooch off of my family and friends to get by. I can't be a mother, I can barely take care of myself." she rambled on.  
  
"Rory. Are you going to love this kid?" Paris questioned. Her best friend went silent for a moment.  
  
"Yes. Of course." the brunette told her, with the confidence she had before.  
  
"That's what matters. You're the most responsible person I know, besides me. You're going to figure everything else out and you are going to be a great mom. There's a reason everyone has faith in you. You haven't let us down yet." the blonde assured her.  
  
"...Thank you." Rory said softly.  
  
"Anytime." Paris promised.  
  
"I'm sorry for calling you like this. Did I interrupt your dinner?" the author questioned.  
  
"No. Doyle's got Timóteo and Gabriela, so I'm not doing anything special." the doctor responded. That sounded less pathetic in her head.  
  
"God, I miss those kids. I can't wait to be home." she told her. Hearing her call the house they shared her home put a silly image of her, Rory, and the kids celebrating Thanksgiving together in Paris' head.  
  
"Where are you right now?" the blonde inquired, changing the subject. The only clue she had was a fan in the background.  
  
"In the bathroom. Grandma was asking me questions and I lost my nerve and I've spent the last twenty minutes holed up in here having a breakdown." her best friend sheepishly admitted.  
  
"You should probably let them know you're still alive." the other woman advised.  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow?" the brunette asked.  
  
"Of course. Bye, Rory." Paris said quietly.  
  
"Bye, Paris." Rory replied.  
  
As they hung up, Paris smiled to herself. She wasn't sure why, but suddenly this Thanksgiving seemed a lot brighter.

* * *

Something was missing from Paris' life.  
  
She didn't know what. Not long ago, she thought she had everything. A successful career, two beautiful kids, and a husband. Then, of course, she realized that she wasn't happy with Doyle. She still had her career and her kids though, and Rory. Rory, who had been with them for months now, and was not only a priceless source of emotional support but also great with Gabriela and Timóteo. She got to live with the three people she cared about most.  
  
So what was missing?  
  
"Paris? You there?" Rory asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. The brunette suggested that they take the kids to the park. They were eating it up, though Paris was not enjoying the cold. Fall was coming to an end.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry. It's just work." Paris lied. She didn't know why she felt the need to, the two had confided in each other for years. Her best friend nodded slowly, as if she didn't completely believe that answer.  
  
"Mommy! Rory! Look at me!" Gabriela shouted. Her little girl was at the top of the slide, while Timóteo stood behind her, impatiently tapping his foot.  
  
"You're so brave!" the brunette replied warmly. Paris smiled without even realizing it. She was going to miss Rory when she inevitably left. God, that was unforgivably corny.  
  
"Hopefully they tire themselves out soon. It's starting to snow." the blonde grumbled. She should've remembered how big of a deal that was to Rory.  
  
"You say that like it's a bad thing." her best friend beamed, looking up as snow sprinked down on the park. She caught a flake on her tongue, eliciting an amused scoff from Paris.  
  
"What prompts a grown woman to do that?" she inquired. Rory shrugged in response.  
  
"Have you met my mother? That woman is the queen of eccentricities." the author told her. That was true.  
  
"Well, none of them are that annoying." Paris reluctantly admitted. The other woman laughed and wrapped her arm around her. That felt so right, so comfortable. Like she was whole.  
  
As they sat together, a snowflake fell onto the brunette's nose. The brightest smile came onto her face, and in that moment, Paris finally realized something.  
  
She was in love with Rory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> strap in y'all we doing this


	2. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paris deals with the revelation she had about her feelings for Rory.

"I'm not sure if there's an exact definition for what we are..."

* * *

Paris was straight.  
  
That's what she had thought her entire life. Sure, she found some women attractive, and maybe she dreamed about one or two of them. Those were just fantasies, though. She had never fallen in love with a woman. Yes, the longest and most enriching relationship in her life was with Rory, but they were just friends. The blonde kissed her one time, the brunette freaked out, and that was that. Then Asher died, and Doyle came into her life, and she had kids, and too much was going on for her to analyze what was probably little more than a schoolgirl crush.  
  
Assuming that was easier than figuring out her feelings. Paris had no qualms about queer women, she admired a great many of them, what she was afraid of was being honest with herself. But it was true. She was in love with Rory. She had nothing but adoration and respect for her best friend. She ached for her when she was away. She couldn't imagine her life, her future without Rory. It didn't hurt that she was absolutely gorgeous. She had the prettiest blue eyes, and flowing brunette hair, and a youthful, sweet face and oh God, she really wasn't straight after all.  
  
People had assumed Paris was queer before. That was because she fit their archaic stereotypes, of course, but it was something to consider. Even Madeline and Louise, two of her only friends in her teenage years, could see her and Rory together. It made sense to everyone else. Now she had to accept it. This wasn't just an infatuation that would go away, it was pure, romantic love, the likes of which she had rarely felt before, and it had been for a long time.  
  
What was she going to do?  
  
"Mommy, where's Rory?" Timóteo asked, bringing her back to the real world. Everything had been hazy since she realized how she felt about her best friend.  
  
"She's spending Christmas with her family." Paris answered quietly, hugging her little boy close. She was almost thankful that the brunette was gone for the week, it gave her a chance to clear her head.  
  
"Oh." he replied, clearly disappointed. The kids already adored Rory, she had no doubt they'd approve if the two of them ever...no, nevermind that. There was no point in getting her hopes up by thinking about something that would never happen.  
  
"Can we call Rory?" Gabriela inquired. Part of her wanted to say no, just to avoid facing her best friend. Still, she knew that was horribly selfish. The brunette was a big part of their lives, and it was natural that they'd miss her.  
  
"I suppose you could." the blonde responded. The children cheered, and Paris knew that she had made the right decision. All she had to do tap on Rory's contact, call her, and...  
  
"The kids wanted to talk to you." she blurted out, passing it off to her daughter before the other woman could get a word out. God, she handled that horribly.  
  
Paris hoped that the kids would distract Rory from how awkward she was. Given how they were fighting over the phone and talking a mile a minute into it, she thought they were doing a good job at that. How much longer could she act like this? Rory wasn't some random woman passing through her life, she was a permanent fixture in it, and she had been for over a decade. She had to do SOMETHING about these feelings, she couldn't go on behaving like a schoolgirl with an intense crush. Before she could think any further, her daughter extended the phone to her.  
  
"Rory has to go, she wanted to say hi to you." Gabriela told her. Paris gave an anxious smile before taking it and holding it up to her ear. She could do this.  
  
"I've never heard kids talk this much in my life. Guess I'm rubbing off on them." the brunette said warmly. The blonde let out an honest chuckle and thought for a moment that maybe, just maybe being around her wouldn't be so awkward anymore.  
  
"Uh...yeah." Paris responded simply. Nevermind.  
  
"Dinner's ready, I have to go. My flight home's tomorrow, I'll see you then?" Rory asked.  
  
"Okay." was all she said before she hung up.  
  
Paris was a wreck. 

* * *

 

Thankfully, things slowly started to change.  
  
When Rory got back, she was still a mess. Teenage Paris would've been horrified to see the awkward, shy woman she had become. As the days passed though, she remembered why she was such good friends with Rory in the first place. The brunette pulled her out of her shell, pushed her, made her feel heard and appreciated. She was supportive and challenging all at once. Unfortunately, it only made Paris love her more, but it also brought her back to normal. With a clear head, she made a decision. She would suppress her feelings. Their friendship was too valuable to throw it all away by confessing her feelings.  
  
"You know, we live in New York. We could go see this." the author told her, in reference to the New Year's Eve party on TV. Her hand was holding up her head in a desperate bid to stay awake.  
  
"Are you telling me notorious bookworm Rory Gilmore really wants to stand in the rain just to watch a ball drop?" Paris asked, arching an eyebrow and taking a sip from her glass. She was on her third or fourth glass. Or fifth. Rory was just running on low sleep. That had the effect of being drunk without the hangover. The blonde almost felt envious.   
  
"Fair point." she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.  
  
"Hey..." Rory began, setting her hand on her best friend's. Even with the alcohol dulling her senses, that sent a shock through Paris' system.  
  
"Y-Yeah?" Paris asked. She knew she should pull away, but she really didn't want to. Damn it, Gilmore, this wasn't fair.  
  
"Are you okay? You've been a little off these past few weeks." the brunette inquired. Some small part of Paris just wanted to confess. But that was the wine talking. She had made her decision, and she wasn't going back on it.  
  
"I'm fine. It's just..." she replied, searching for some perfect explanation. "Doyle." the blonde settled on.  
  
"Say no more." Rory told her, raising her hands up. Thank you, divorce.  
  
"Alright, Gilmore, what are your New Year's resolutions?" the doctor asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Hmm...well, having the baby is one I think I can accomplish." her friend joked with a sleepy smile. "Well, I'd like to finish my book." she added. Paris was grateful that moving out wasn't on that list, as much as she shouldn't have been.  
  
"Then that's what you're gonna do. I'll push you if I have to. Don't think I won't." the other woman warned, although the way she was slurring her words made her threat a little less intimidating. Just a little.  
  
"Sounds good." Rory replied. "Thank you, Paris. For everything." she whispered, her voice getting more serious. She wrapped her arm around Paris and pulled her into a hug.  
  
With anyone else, it would've made her horribly uncomfortable. Rory's arms around her just felt natural.  
  
She looked into her best friend's eyes as the ball dropped and they rang in a brand new year together. Paris wanted so badly to just lean in and kiss Rory.  
  
That'd ruin the moment though, so they just stayed like that. Stayed like that until they drifted off to sleep together.  
  
It was the best Paris had slept in years.

* * *

Paris was not good at celebrating.  
  
She never had been. Her parents really did a number on her. Parties, like any kind of socializing, were frivolous wastes of time. A childhood like that was the reason she struggled so hard to make friends. That and the fact that, on occasion, she could be somewhat abrasive. Still, she was determined to not be like her mother and father. These kids were going to get parties and they were going to be damn good parties. Paris was not the kind of person who did anything half-assed.  
  
The only problem was that entertaining children was not her area of expertise.  
  
"Bad news?" Rory asked as she walked into the living room. Paris was hard at work staring at the coffee table, thinking of what to do for Gabriela's birthday party. Doyle always handled these things. That was the one thing she missed about him.  
  
"I'm planning Gabriela's party." Paris answered, her voice sounding more exhausted and worried than she intended it to.  
  
"Oh. How terrible." the brunette teased, eliciting an annoyed grunt from her best friend.  
  
"I'm sorry. I take it you're not a party planner?" she inquired, sitting next to the blonde.  
  
"How perceptive of you, Gilmore." the doctor grumbled, hiding her face in her hands.  
  
"Alright, Cranky. If you don't want help, I'll go." the author replied dramatically, standing up. Paris grabbed her hand in desperation. She never thought of asking for help. Doing that wasn't exactly something she was used to.  
  
"If you can help me, I'm not letting you go. I mean it." Paris promised, her voice deathly serious. No, she wasn't being silly.  
  
"My mom is pretty much the queen of party planning. I've picked up a few tricks." Rory responded, looking down at the blonde with an amused smile on her face.  
  
"Teach me. I'm a fast learner." she told her friend, as if she had something to prove. Paris was still an overachiever. That side of her never really went away.  
  
So she did.  
  
Rory had always been close to Gabriela and Timóteo, and her moving in only strengthened that bond. She knew exactly what that little girl wanted. With the combined might of Rory's experience and sense of fun and Paris' money and ability to inspire fear, they planned out a birthday to remember. An extravagant theme party that was expertly catered, attended by all of her friends, and ended with ice cream and gift opening. Gabriela would continue to brag about the party for months after. Paris shouldn't have been surprised. With parents like her and Doyle, the kid was inevitably going to have a bit of an ego.  
  
"You're a lifesaver, Rory." Paris muttered as she was in-between spoonfuls of mint chocolate chip. She could not have pulled this off without her.  
  
"It was nothing." Rory said with a smile before taking a lick of vanilla. That was a lie, of course. It made Paris realize that she wasn't so sure she could do this without the other woman.  
  
Made her long for a future where Rory would always be there.

* * *

It was never going to work between her and Doyle.  
  
She knew that long before she knew about her crush on Rory. They were much too alike for their marriage to be successful. Neither of them were ever at ease around each other. There was always some argument, big or small, and while that did lead to a...satisfying sexual relationship, they didn't make the other happy in the long run. The two of them being together wasn't good for them, and it certainly wasn't good for the kids. Still, despite her personal feelings on Doyle, Paris couldn't deny that he was a good father. He loved Gabriela and Timóteo with all his heart and they loved him just as much. As such, she never kept them away from him. Paris Geller was many things, and spiteful was one of them, but she was not heartless.  
  
So it shouldn't have been a huge surprise to her when he called late one night.  
  
"Doyle?" she asked, a little surprised at how much disgust and confusion came through in that one word. She was kind of a master at tearing people down.  
  
"You don't have to sound so repulsed." he replied. Doyle sounded more amused than anything else. Paris supposed it made sense. Enough time had passed that things weren't quite so raw between them.  
  
"Sorry, it's just...why are you calling?" the blonde inquired, squinting her eyes. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like this.  
  
"I just wanted to thank you for sending me pictures of Gabriela's birthday party. She looks like she had a lot of fun." her ex explained, putting a small smile on her face. That wasn't so bad after all.  
  
"Oh, well...it's no problem." is all she said. She forgot that she had even done that. Life had been busy lately. Oh, who was she kidding, life was always busy for her.  
  
"Are you okay, Paris?" Doyle questioned. Paris wasn't sure what the honest answer to that was, but she did want to avoid unloading her emotional baggage onto her ex-husband.  
  
"Do you ever regret our relationship?" Paris responded, avoiding his question entirely. "I mean, with everything that happened, all the pain...are you still glad we got together?" she added.  
  
"I mean, we are who we are because of each other. We wouldn't have those kids if we never got together. Even with how things turned out...it wasn't all bad. So...no, I don't regret it. The pain was worth it." he answered.  
  
"...Good night, Doyle." the blonde told him quietly.  
  
"Good night, Paris." he replied before hanging up. That conversation, brief as it was, made Paris sure of something she had been thinking of for a while now. It was a risk. It could bring her a hell of a lot of pain. She was going to do it anyways.  
  
She was going to tell Rory how she felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah it took me a month to write this short shitty chapter, what about it


	3. Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory's due date approaches as Paris struggles to confess her feelings.

"Yeah, I really hated you too."

* * *

She doesn't try to tell Rory how she feels until months later.   
  
They're at an Easter egg hunt, watching Gabriela and Timóteo scour the park alongside their friends. Moms, dads, and nannies who might as well have been parents tried to keep one eye on their kids as they made small talk. Paris swore she heard one or two of them mention her and Rory as a couple, and she was embarrassed by how good those little mistakes made her feel. She was being pathetic and she knew it. She had to tell Rory how utterly in love with her she was and be done with it already.  
  
"Get that egg, Timóteo! You found it!" she called out. Some brat was trying to steal the Easter egg he had discovered, and Timóteo was just going to let him. Paris loved her little boy, but he had somewhat of a submissive personality. God knows where he got that from. She then turned to Rory, who she thought she heard a snort from.   
  
"I've never seen someone get so passionate about an Easter egg." Rory told her, looking amused. The blonde should have had a sharp verbal retort at the ready, but instead she couldn't stop thinking about how gorgeous her best friend looked with the bright sun behind her and a warm smile on her face.  
  
"Hey..." Paris began. She wanted so badly to just confess how she felt right then and there. It was the perfect moment. There was a crowd to applaud their inevitable kiss, the weather was right, and Rory looked nothing short of picturesque. It'd be like a romantic movie, if she could get the damn words out. Instead they stuck in her mouth, which was getting increasingly dry as she searched for the right things to say.   
  
"Yes?" the other woman asked, looking somewhere in-between confused and concerned. She couldn't blame Rory, she had frozen up.   
  
"It's nothing. Nevermind." the doctor decided, abruptly turning away. That was that.  
  
The second time she tried was on Mother's Day.  
  
It wasn't a day she had particularly strong feelings about. That was true for most holidays, though she supposed Mother's Day in particular was supposed to make her feel something. Paris was a mother, after all. She had earned that title through an obscene amount of hours spent in labor. Maybe she was just being same old Paris, annoyed with most things and ambivalent about the rest. It didn't help that Doyle didn't make her feel very appreciated.  
  
So of course Rory had to come along and change her mind completely.  
  
"Happy Mother's Day!" her three favorite people said in unison as they walked into her room, Rory carrying a tray piled high with breakfast. Paris couldn't help but smile. She really was lucky, even if she didn't admit it all that often.  
  
"What's all this?" she inquired, looking up at them as they set the tray down in front of her. The food looked...homemade? That couldn't possibly have been.   
  
"We made you breakfast!" Gabriela proclaimed proudly, as if she alone had prepared the meal.  
  
"Rory helped." Timóteo added. She wasn't sure if it was more unlikely that Rory cooked for her or that her kids cooked for her.  
  
"You made this?" the blonde asked her best friend, more disbelief coming through her voice than she intended.  
  
"Don't sound so surprised. Luke's taught me a few things." Rory explained, sounding more amused than offended. It was so frustrating to be head over heels in love with someone but incapable of expressing it. Paris was not a nervous person, by any stretch. Why couldn't she just say "I love you"?   
  
Paris said "thank you" instead and went on with her day. It was the best Mother's Day she'd ever had, but she couldn't stop thinking about that missed opportunity.   
  
She finally said it a few days later.  
  
Rory was out talking business with that long haired hipster Jess, who reeked of cheap cologne and seemed to exclusively purchase clothing from thrift stores. No, she wasn't just saying that because she was jealous. Still, she couldn't bring herself to hate Jess. He offered to publish Rory's book, which she had recently completed. It felt good to see Rory realizing her potential. It felt even better to see her over the moon about it. She had called Paris to tell her that they had made a deal, and after listening to Rory ramble on in excitement for a few minutes, she said those three words at last.   
  
"I love you." Paris sighed, a smile of adoration on her face. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she had just said. She had finally confessed how she felt, and it came out completely naturally. How was Rory going to react? Had she made a mistake?  
  
"I love you too, Paris. Thank you. For everything." Rory responded, completely unfazed. All the excitement, fear, shock, everything dissipated as she realized that her best friend didn't take it the way she had intended. They were longtime best friends, after all. It wasn't ridiculous for one of them to tell the other that they loved them.  
  
Paris congratulated her again and they said their goodbyes, leaving the blonde sitting there, utterly lost. Telling her wasn't going to be as easy as saying a few words. She had to sit her best friend down and be honest about her feelings. That was the only way she had a shot at being with Rory, and the past few months had convinced her that being with Rory was what she wanted more than anything else. Now she had to figure out how she was going to do that.   
  
God help her.

* * *

Paris was ready.   
  
This was it. The moment she told Rory how she felt. Paris, the planner that she was, had made sure everything was perfect. The kids were with Doyle, the lights were low, and she had fully mapped out her confession. Any question Rory could possibly have she had an answer for. A damn good answer, too. The blonde was going to lay it all out on the table and, if Rory was even the slightest bit interested, explain in detail why dating her just made sense. She had this.  
  
"What did you want to talk about?" Rory asked with a smile as she took a seat. Paris felt oddly calm as she sat across from her. Improvisation was not one of her strong suits, but she was a master at carrying out plans.  
  
"Well, we've known each other for a while now..." she began, her voice sounding more professional than anything. Hey, as long as she got the words out, her tone didn't matter.   
  
"Are you breaking up with me?" the brunette teased, throwing her off. She probably should've accounted for Rory's tendency to banter.  
  
"Can you let me talk?" Paris grumbled, narrowing her eyes. Rory raised her hands in defeat.  
  
"Sorry, sorry. Go on." her best friend apologized. Paris didn't expect to be scolding Rory during her grand confession of love, but she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. Their relationship always involved a healthy amount of mutual frustration.   
  
"I've...really enjoyed having you around. All of us have. And...umm...it's made me realize something about myself." the blonde continued, trying her best to stay on track. She was so close now.  
  
"Oh?" Rory asked, her eyebrows raised. Paris imagined she would be very confused as to where this was going if she was in Rory's shoes.  
  
"There's a lot about this I still have to figure out, but I...I..." she stuttered out. God, she so wished she could be young, brave, loud mouthed Paris again in that moment.   
  
"Whatever it is, it's okay. You can tell me." the other woman promised, putting her hand on Paris's. Suddenly, her nerves were steadied. She was ready to tell Rory how she felt.  
  
"I'm in-" Paris started, before a look of surprise came onto her friend's face.   
  
"What is it?" she questioned. Rory took a deep breath before answering.   
  
"I think my water just broke."

* * *

At least Paris knew what to do in this situation.   
  
Few people would describe her as a comforting presence, but she knew pregnancy, and she was able to keep her best friend calm as they drove to the hospital. Before Rory knew it, she was in the delivery room, Paris at her side. The blonde got her whatever she wanted, and was not afraid to tell off the doctor, the nurses, and whoever else. Sometimes being abrasive paid off. For a moment she felt like Rory's partner, but she quickly pushed that aside. This wasn't about her. It was about Rory, and she was just happy to be there for it.   
  
"Where's my girl?" Lorelai asked, a huge grin on her face. At her side was Luke, who was barely concealing his pride and excitement. Rory had asked Paris to call them. She knew the entire town of Stars Hollow would want to be present for this, but in the interest of not overwhelming herself, she decided to just tell them.  
  
"Your incredibly pregnant and nervous girl is right here." Rory replied with a small smile. The two of them had planned for the baby, but it seemed to sneak up on them nonetheless.  
  
"Seeing you like this brings back memories. Makes me think of a young Lorelai Gilmore, all the way back in 1984..." the older brunette recalled, causing her daughter to wince.  
  
"Not this story. Especially not right now." her daughter groaned. Lorelai nodded and raised her hands in defeat.   
  
"They really can talk, huh?" Paris mused.   
  
"Tell me about it." Luke muttered. Lorelai seemed to have suddenly realized that Paris was there, as she quickly looked up and pulled her into a tight hug. Paris was pleasantly surprised at how nice it felt.   
  
"Paris. Thank you for being there for Rory. It's good to know that she has someone like you looking out for her." she told the blonde. Paris just smiled and gave a little nod. She felt like she belonged there.  
  
When the time came for Rory to deliver the baby, Paris was in the waiting room. She was impatiently pacing around, while Luke sat eerily still, his hand on his chin. She had no idea how he wasn't freaking out. Rory was having a baby! There were a million things that could go wrong. Especially with the neanderthals in that delivery room. On the off chance that everything went right, it was still a life changing event. Rory was going to be a mother. Everything was going to be different. Only now did she register that.  
  
"How are you not worried? Rory is having a baby." she eventually asked him. It took Luke a moment to realize that Paris was talking to him.   
  
"I think the doctor knows what they're doing." Luke responded. She glared down at him in reply.  
  
"We don't know that. Rory could've gotten some hack. You're her parent, you should be more worried!" Paris rambled on. She could've sworn that for a moment she saw a smile on his face. She wondered what it was she had said.   
  
"Rory's going to be fine. She's strong. You're her best friend, you should know that." he told her. This time, she was smiling.  
  
The rest of the time she spent waiting was considerably less agonizing. She even allowed herself to sit. Still, she was relieved when Lorelai returned from the delivery room.  
  
"I'm a grandma, now." Lorelai beamed, a grin on her face and tears in her eyes. Soon after, Paris and Luke looked just as ecstatic. "Oh my God, I'm old." she quickly realized, her happiness turning into momentary despair.   
  
"You're not old." Luke assured her. That brought her right back.   
  
"Rory wanted to see you, Paris. I wouldn't keep her waiting. A new mom is not to be messed with." she warned her. Paris smiled and gave a little nod.   
  
"I remember." Paris replied, before walking off to see Rory with her new baby.   
  
Everything had changed. Paris had to embrace that. 

* * *

She was stunned by how beautiful Rory looked in that moment.  
  
Of course, Rory always looked beautiful. It was almost frustrating how easily she looked good. This, though...this was something else. The warmest smile on her face and an adorable baby in her arms. They lit up the dark room, and Paris was so in love that it hurt. Her feelings could wait, though. Right now, nothing mattered but Rory and her kid. So she took a deep breath and walked up to the hospital bed, looking down at her best friend and her newborn.  
  
"He's a good looking kid." Paris commented, eliciting a chuckle from the other woman. He had Rory's eyes.   
  
"Yeah, he is. His name is Richard." Rory said softly, gazing lovingly at her infant son. Paris felt like her heart was going to burst.   
  
"I'm surprised you didn't name him Lorelai." the blonde teased.   
  
"That's his middle name." her best friend replied, a smirk on her face.   
  
"You're joking." Paris scoffed.   
  
"I am not. I had to work it in there somewhere." she responded with a shrug of her shoulders.  
  
"Hey, Paris?" the brunette whispered.   
  
"Yes?" she asked, her voice just as quiet.  
  
"You've been so incredible these past few months...this past year. It's made me realize that...well...I just wanted to tell you that I..." Rory stuttered out. Then she kissed Paris, and it was perfect. It was everything the blonde had ever wanted. She barely had time to process it, she had no clue where it had came from, she just knew that it felt amazing. So Paris kissed back, and they stayed like that until they had to pull away to take a breath.  
  
"Paris...I..." the brunette mumbled. She clearly wanted to say something so badly, but she just couldn't get it out. So they were left there in silence, with nothing but their thoughts. Their fears. Their worries. Paris didn't know what to do. What to think. All she knew was that she was terrified. Scared to death that Rory would say it was a mistake. That one kiss would ruin more than a decade of friendship. She couldn't face that.  
  
So she ran out of the room and didn't look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated. Sorry for leaving you all on a cliffhanger.


	4. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paris and Rory face the aftermath of their kiss.

"You're gonna do such great things with your life, Rory."

* * *

 Paris had made a mistake.  
  
She realized that as soon as she got out the door. She wanted so badly to turn around, walk back into that room, and pour her heart out to Rory. Tell her best friend how deeply in love with her she was. That's not what she did, though. Instead, Paris ran as fast as her feet could take her, away from Rory, away from the risk of rejection. She got in her car and drove off, unable to look back. She hated herself for it.  
  
"Damn it, Geller. Damn it." the blonde muttered to herself, her head clouded with fear and regret and shame. Paris thought she had changed. But in that moment she felt just like that scared little sixteen year old who had never been in love, had never opened herself up to anybody, had never allowed herself to be vulnerable.  
  
The weight of the mistake really set in a few days later.  
  
Rory hadn't come home, though Paris at least knew she was safe. Her best friend, or former best friend, wouldn't answer her texts or her calls, but Lorelai awkwardly assured Paris that she was fine. Rory was probably hurt and angry and she deserved to be, but at least the blonde could patch things up when she came back home. Only she never did. One day while Paris was out, all of Rory's stuff disappeared. At first glance she thought they had been robbed, but slowly she realized that only the brunette's belongings had been taken. She had moved out. There was no making up for this. The woman who quite possibly could have been the love of Paris' life was gone and she was responsible for it.  
  
"Where's Rory?" Timóteo wondered out loud. It didn't take long for the kids to notice Rory's absence. Damn her for having such smart children.  
  
"She had her baby and she left." Gabriela replied, answering before Paris could. The little girl looked very displeased.  
  
"Is she still going to visit?" he inquired, clearly concerned. The blonde opened her mouth again, but her daughter seemed to have hijacked the conversation.  
  
"I don't think so. She didn't even say goodbye." the little girl grumbled. That broke Paris' heart. Even worse, this whole situation was all her fault.  
  
"I wonder what we did." her son murmured. Paris couldn't take any more of this.  
  
"You did nothing. Neither of you did. It is not your fault that Rory left." she told them. Now he looked more confused than anything.  
  
"Whose fault is it then?" Timóteo questioned, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Rory's." Gabi mumbled in response.  
  
"Hey! It's my fault!" she blurted out. Well, she wanted to be honest with her kids.  
  
"What did you do?" her daughter prodded.  
  
"Gabriela!" Paris scolded her, prompting her little girl to mutter an apology.  
  
"Can't you make it better?" he asked, looking up at her.  
  
"I don't know." the blonde answered truthfully. "I messed up badly. Some friendships...you can't make better." she explained.  
  
"But Rory's your best friend. You can always make things better with your best friend." Gabriela countered.  
  
She didn't know if that was true. It was entirely possible that Rory was gone for good. Wallowing about it, though, that wasn't a Paris thing to do. She abhorred self pity. So she had fucked up. The blonde could either let it haunt her forever, or she could try her hardest to make up for her mistake. The second option sounded a hell of a lot better to Paris.  
  
"I...I don't know. I'll try." Paris promised. Leave it to her kids to make her realize she was being an idiot.  
  
Now all she had to do was figure out a way to win Rory back.

* * *

That was less easy than she thought it was going to be.  
  
What was she going to do? Show up outside her door with a boombox? Paris was not the sort of person who made grand romantic gestures. She might've felt things very deeply, but she wasn't any good at expressing that. Okay, so she could do something more low-key. That didn't narrow her options down much. Maybe she could send a letter? No, they weren't forbidden lesbian lovers in the 19th century. On the other hand, a text was too impersonal. Paris went to Yale. She was a doctor. Yet solving this problem seemed impossible. Damn her parents for making her totally socially inept.  
  
She eventually settled on giving Rory a call. What Paris would say she still didn't know. "Sorry for running out on you when you were at your most vulnerable"? That seemed a little too on the nose. "Hey, how have you been? How about this weather?" would just make her look insensitive and ignorant. Hell, maybe she was those things, but she didn't want Rory to think that. It was probably too late to prevent that but...oh, she didn't answer. Well, what did Paris expect? Now, she had two options. She could push off calling Rory until later, and then push it off again, and keep pushing it off for the rest of her life. Or she could woman up and leave her a voicemail. Paris decided on the latter.  
  
"Hey, Rory, it's umm...Paris." she began. No shit, Paris. "I just wanted to tell you that, umm...I...I...I finished that book you recommended to me. 'The Time Traveler's Wife'. I, uh, I liked it. A lot. You have good taste in novels. I don't know if I've ever told you that before. So...uh...thank you for the recommendation. Bye." Paris rambled on. It made sense that she went straight to a book. The one thing she and Rory always had in common was a love of literature.  
  
Paris waited for a response. It never came.  
  
Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. She had only been waiting a few weeks. Still, if Rory wanted to talk to her, she'd have gotten back to her by now. A text, a voicemail, a call back. Anything. Her best friend was not the type to reply late. Paris was not the type to give up so easily, though. She was going to get that woman back in her life or die trying. No, she was not exaggerating. So she worked up the courage to try again and when the phone went to voicemail, she just started talking.  
  
"Hey, Rory, I was thinking about that book. 'The Time Traveler's Wife', I mean. Maybe the prose is a little purple and I'm not sure about the age gap between Henry and Clare but the point of the book...valuing what little time we have with the people we love...I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I miss you. I miss you every day and my life isn't the same without you. If you want me to stop calling I will, just...tell me. I can't stand another day not knowing if I'm ever going to see you again. Okay. Bye." Paris went on. As soon as she sent it, she started wondering if those were the right things to say. She had certainly been honest, but what if she came off as too aggressive or too forward? The blonde couldn't believe she was concerned about that, but the last thing she wanted to do was make things worse between them. Paris had abandoned Rory, and now she was making demands?  
  
Her worries ate away at her until she got home the next day and checked her phone to see that...Rory had left her a voicemail.  
  
Here it was. The reply she had waited so long for. Paris swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to ignore how sick her stomach felt as she prepared to listen to what was most likely the last time she'd ever hear from Rory.  
  
"Hi, Paris, it's Rory. I, umm...I'm glad you liked the book. It was good to hear your voice. So...call me back when you can. Bye." Rory said softly. In that moment, it felt like a ton had been lifted off of Paris. She had no idea what that conversation would hold, or if there was any future for them, but this was progress. There was a sliver of a chance that she could get Rory, her best friend, the woman she loved, back in her life.  
  
Now she had to act on that chance.  
  
"Hey." the blonde murmured. It had been a few days since she had gotten Rory's voicemail. She had cleared out an evening for this call. Her plans regarding Rory hadn't gone all that well so far, but this time she was going to get it right. How to begin, though? Part of Paris wanted to smother the author with apologies, but would that make her look too needy? Too desperate? If she played it too cool, she could run the risk of coming off as ambivalent towards the situation, which she definitely was not.  
  
"Hey, Paris. It's been a while." her best friend commented. Just hearing Rory's voice made Paris feel a hell of a lot more calm. She could do this.  
  
"Yeah. I can't remember the last time we were apart this long." Paris admitted, trying her hardest to recall when they had been away from each other for more than a month. They had been best friends for a long time now, and during the past year they had been inseparable. Sure, they had fights, plenty of them, but nothing like this. She already knew Rory meant a lot to her, but their separation made her realize just what an important presence in her life the brunette was.  
  
"I guess I wasn't kidding when I said I wouldn't be able to shake you." she teased, causing the hint of a smile to tug on Paris' lips.  
  
"Never, Gilmore." the doctor replied. They were joking again, and for a moment, everything felt normal.  
  
"I missed this." the other woman whispered. Paris had too. More than her best friend would ever know.  
  
"I'm sorry." the blonde blurted out. Oh boy, here came the apologies.  
  
"Me too." the brunette told her, though whatever she was sorry for, Paris didn't know. "Listen...I know I've been away for a while, but...I wanna see you. I wanna talk about this, about us, face to face. Would that be okay?" she asked. The little smile on Paris' face turned into a grin.  
  
"Yes. Yes, of course. Yes." Paris answered, eliciting a chuckle from her friend.  
  
"Okay then. Would tomorrow be okay?" Rory inquired. Paris thought her heart might beat out of her chest. She was going to get to see Rory tomorrow. She hadn't felt this excited in well...forever.  
  
"Absolutely." was her immediate response. Hell, if Rory was on her doorstep right now, she would've been happy. As long as she got another chance to win her best friend over.  
  
"Good night, Paris." she said quietly, her voice a little lighter, a little more like Rory than when the call began.  
  
"Good night, Rory." Paris replied before hanging up.  
  
The next day was a slog. Every hour felt like an eternity with how distracted Paris was. Right up until she heard a knock on her door. A knock just like the one she had heard all those months ago, when Rory had shown up at her doorstep, pregnant and in desperate need of emotional support. She answered the door and there her best friend was, her fresh faced beauty untarnished by how nervous she clearly was. That made two of them.  
  
"Hey." Rory began, the sweetest smile on her face. Wow, she looked good. How did she look that good after having a baby so recently? No, Paris was not jealous. That would be ridiculous.  
  
"Hey. Come in." Paris greeted her, stepping aside. As soon as she got in the door, Timóteo and Gabriela took notice.  
  
"Rory!" the little boy beamed, running up to hug her. She grinned and embraced him, his sister slowly following behind.  
  
"You didn't say goodbye before leaving." Gabriela grumbled, still reserved about Rory's return.  
  
"I know and I'm sorry. I'm going to make it up to you guys. I promise." the brunette swore. Gabi slowly nodded and joined the hug, a small smile coming onto her face. They had clearly missed Rory and she had clearly missed them.  
  
"Rory and I have some things to talk about. Can you two play?" the blonde asked. They reluctantly pulled away, looking up at Rory.  
  
"I'll see you guys later. You can tell me about what I missed." she told them, which instantly brightened their mood. The pair ran off, immediately starting to argue about who got dibs on Rory first. Yep, those were her kids.  
  
"Go ahead and take a seat. Can I get you anything? Water, wine maybe..." Paris rambled on like an awkward hostess. Her best friend sat on the couch, looked up at her, and just said it.  
  
"I think we should talk about the kiss."

* * *

Alright then.  
  
Paris so desperately wanted to avoid the topic of that damn kiss. She wanted to apologize and Rory to move back in and be done with it. The thought of rejection, of the woman she loved explaining that kissing her was a stupid mistake, made her sick. The blonde had been through a hell of a lot, but she thought that might just kill her. Still, if it was a necessary step to get Rory back in her life, she'd endure it. So she sat down across from Rory and got ready for what would probably be the most painful conversation in her life.  
  
"Umm...okay. I'm so sorry for leaving you after...the kiss. I can't imagine how that must have felt and I so regret it. It was a mistake." she said quietly. God willing, that would be it.  
  
"I forgive you, and I'm sorry for moving out so abruptly, but that's not...not what I wanted to talk about." her best friend sighed. Oh boy. Well, she knew this was coming.  
  
"It's okay. I know what you're going to say. Can we just move on?" Paris asked, sounding more aggressive than she wanted to. That was probably a mistake considering she was trying to get Rory back.  
  
"But...but I want to talk about this." Rory told her, frustration evident in her voice. Were they fighting? She missed fighting with Rory.  
  
"And I don't wanna talk about this." she grumbled. Rory clenched her fists in anger.  
  
"Can you just let me say what I need to say?" her best friend replied, raising her voice.  
  
"Why do you wanna talk about this so much?!" the doctor yelled, moving closer to the other woman.  
  
"Because I'm in love with you!" the brunette shouted.  
  
"Well I'm in love with you too!" the blonde snapped back.  
  
Okay, what just happened?  
  
Rory was in love with her! The love of her life loved her back! How long had she known? Did she still wanna act on her feelings? God, Paris had so many questions. Wait, so they could've been together all this time? The hours she spent questioning whether she should confess how she felt or not, the days she spent formulating her big confession in her head, those were all a waste. She could've just been honest with her best friend. Paris hadn't been this agitated in...well, okay, only a few weeks. She was easily upsetted. That frustration was only a small part of how she felt, though. There was also excitement and confusion and anxiety and so much more. It was a rush of emotions, one Paris was glad to feel.  
  
"Wait, you are?" Rory asked, her eyes going wide. Paris imagined she was feeling just as surprised.  
  
"Yes! When did you...when did you figure it out?" the blonde inquired. One question at a time.  
  
"A few months ago." her best friend muttered, nervously biting her bottom lip.  
  
"Well...well, why didn't you tell me?!" Paris questioned. There went her cool.  
  
"I was scared! I was worried you'd have one of your Paris freakouts and our friendship would be ruined!" the brunette answered. Well, Paris understood how she...hey, what did she mean by "Paris freakouts"?!  
  
"That's what I was afraid of! You're not exactly giving off major queer vibes, Rory. How was I supposed to know?" she replied, dramatically raising her hands.  
  
"What did you want me to do?! I don't know how bisexual women are supposed to act! Is there a guidebook?" the author grumbled.  
  
"I'm just frustrated because we could've been together all this time if I just-" the doctor rambled on, before being interrupted by a kiss from Rory. Another perfect, passionate, romantic kiss.  
  
Suddenly, all those negative feelings drifted away.  
  
"Well, we certainly have chemistry." Paris said quietly, a lovestruck smile on her face.  
  
"I wanted to tell you. I've known I was bisexual for a few years now, but...I didn't realize how I felt about you until I moved in. I already knew you were smart and funny and frustrating..." the other woman began.  
  
"I am not frustrating." she chimed in.  
  
"But living with you made me realize how kind and selfless and caring you are. It's no wonder I fell in love with you, Paris. Even as frustrating as you are." her best friend added, wearing the prettiest grin Paris had ever seen.  
  
"Do you...do you still wanna explore this? After what I did?" the blonde asked nervously, motioning between the two.  
  
"Would I have come here and done the whole Jerry Maguire speech if I didn't?" the brunette teased, taking Paris' hands.  
  
"You had to fit a movie reference in there, didn't you?" Paris muttered, leaning in.  
  
"You complete me." Rory told her in the most emotional voice she could muster, before the blonde kissed her again.  
  
There was still so much she wanted to say to Rory. So much Paris wanted to do with her.  
  
Now she'd get that chance.

* * *

Paris was making the most of it.  
  
It had been a month since they both confessed their feelings. After lots of late nights spent talking, which would've given Paris hives under any other circumstances, the two decided to start dating. It was perfect. Not in the traditional sense, of course, it was messy and they got angry and they fought. It was perfect in the sense that it was real and they were good together and Paris felt the best she had in...well, forever. Being with Rory just fit in a way that none of her previous relationships had.  
  
"Mommy! Rory got us ice cream." Timóteo beamed as he walked into the house, accompanied by his sister, Rory, and Richard. He had taken the news of them dating very well.  
  
"Mhm." Gabriela added, her mouth full of vanilla. They were a little more worried about how she'd feel about the new arrangement, given her temperament, but she casually accepted it. She almost seemed to have known that it was going to happen. They had to keep their eye on that one.  
  
"You can continue enjoying it in the kitchen." Paris replied with a small smile. They rushed off, deflating the tension of whether or not they'd get ice cream on her precious floor. Paris got held up at work and as such wasn't able to pick the kids up from school. She reluctantly asked Rory to, and because her girlfriend was a saint, she did so happily.  
  
"I'm the worst mom ever. I am so sorry." she apologized, eliciting a chuckle from her partner, who set her son's car seat down and pulled her into a comforting hug.  
  
"You are not the worst mom ever. You might be the most overdramatic mom ever." Rory told her, causing Paris to grumble.  
  
"Is there anything I can do to repay you?" the blonde asked, not realizing how flirtatious that sounded until she said it.  
  
"I have a few ideas." the brunette purred, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Hey, look at that..." she muttered, pointing out the window. It was a beautiful elm tree, the leaves in the process of turning from summer green to fall orange.  
  
"It's a nice view." Paris said softly, holding Rory's hand.  
  
For the first time in a while, Paris thought she had a solid handle on what her future would look like.  
  
She felt pretty good about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're done! Working on this story was a lovely way to spend these last few months. Thank you for reading this self indulgent little fanfic and thank you for all of your feedback. Here's to Gilmore Girls, one of my favorite shows!


End file.
